Meet the Grouchy Mommy Bear!

February 9, 2013

Hi all! Virginia here, aka the grouchy mommy bear.

I’m trying so hard to roll with the punches, but I feel as if I’m doing a pretty cruddy job of it. SO….pardon me a second while I whine (you can pass the cheese over if you have any). Here goes….I have a marathon (my first) next Saturday, and I just don’t feel ready. I was doing great with training until hip/knee pain crept into the picture. It turns out I’m having some IT band issues. SO….I have been trying to rest it more, take shorter runs, ice it, etc. I even went and got a sports massage. (I hate rest…it feels like giving in). Sigh…it does seem better, but I haven’t run more than 13 miles straight in several weeks. Amy marathoners out there who can give me some “you can do it vibes” would be appreciated right NOW! Since I am a week out, I am supposed to be “tapering” so I won’t have another long run until the marathon. I’m nervous. NERVOUS. SKKKKKEEEERRRDDD (how’s that for a dramatic spelling of scared)!?

To top that off today (Saturday) my husband has to work all day so I can’t do my normal long Saturday workout. (He’s a teacher, so Saturday work is not normal!) AND we are all suffering from sinus issues. For fun and to get in some sort of workout, I was going to run a 5K with my boys today (pushing the baby in the jogger), but one son just doesn’t feel well enough (severely disappointing another). I thought they were feeling well enough to go to the kids care at the gym so that I could take a spin class….but as we got in the car the 9 year old started crying about his stomach. Nothing is going as planned today. (I’ll take that cheese now). GRRRRRRRRR!

So…such is the life of a mom. I’m trying so hard to roll with this and figure out when I can do something today, but I know I am being a grouchy mommy bear. I feel like a bad athlete and a bad mom. I have a feeling my baby (almost 3 year old) will get way too many episodes of Calliou today. Woo hoo! Mom of the Year award for ME!!!

Before you decide I’m a spoiled woman with no appreciation of her great life….please realize that this is just a gripe. I have a great life with fabulous kids and a supportive hubby… I’m beyond lucky. BUT…even a lucky mom can feel frustrated and a bit grumpy. Right?

I hope that all of you who read this have a great weekend! There…that’s less whiny and grouchy!

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14 Comments

cassie

Aw!!! Sick and injured days suck!!! Yes, you can do your 26.2 next week. It may hurt like hell. You may honestly believe you’re going to die, but you can do it. Now,the first 48 hrs after, the pain is going to be….uncomfortable. get that massage scheduled. Do your ice bath printout after finish line. And for God’s sake,hire a sitter so you can be assured some extra downtime. Planning and post-race high will get you by. Mine lasted 2 weeks and was way better than beer or drugs. Speaking of…ibuprofen…yes! You’re nervous? Congratulations! That makes you normal. Now make up that mind of yours to have fun and keep moving forward. And foam roll!

Sometimes rolling with the punches IS frustrating. That doesn’t make you a bad mom or a bad athlete or a bad anything else. It makes you a mom of sick kids and an injured athlete with a race around the corner. I don’t know anyone who, if honest, doesn’t get a little frustrated/disappointed/sad when the sick kids thwart a good training plan (or any plans for that matter).

As for the marathon…what’s the very worst case scenario? You don’t finish? Will the world end? Nope! Will you be disappointed? Yes. Will the world end if you are disappointed? Nope! Anything other than that (like walking a good portion of the race, or suffering through a slow run) is a bonus. Even the worst case scenario isn’t the end all. Really! Being a swim bike MOM, you have to expect stuff like this is going to happen, and it’s all part of the balancing act.

My sister-in-law had been training for a 1/2 Ironman and her daughter was sick for a month (yes, a whole month) prior to the race. In fact, the night before the race she was in the ER with her daughter. Race day rolled around and she ended up having to DNF part way through the run. Her legs were cramping so bad she just couldn’t finish it. I know she was disappointed, but I also know she pushed as hard as she could, and that particular time “hard enough” didn’t bring her through the finish line. More importantly, her daughter finally got healthy and they carried on with their lives and moved on to the next race.

Bottom line…just get out there and give it your all. Let the chips fall where they may. You ARE a great mommy! You ARE a great athlete! You ARE a great woman! Seriously…you are!

I finished my first 26.2 in October and let me tell you..I did NOT feel ready for it leading up to it. My last planned long run turned into not such a long run because of pain in my leg and I was just not feeling it. Since it was my last long run, I didn’t really have time to put another one in and other marathoners recommended that I just continue to follow my training schedule and not try to add in another 20 miler. Needless to say I was afraid I didn’t do enough. But, in the end I finished. Did it hurt? Yes. Did I think I was going to die at some points? Sure – but isn’t that a marathon?!?! I think so. But, I also decided going into it to enjoy every single moment of the experience and I did. It was one of the best days ever. So, yes you’re allowed to be grouchy, but rest assured you will rock your first marathon! 🙂 Good luck!

jen erb

You will do great. I did my first marathon with only one 17 mile training run and the rest very short runs. It was 90 plus degrees that day. the adrenaline will keep moving you forward. I was determined that my butt was crossing that finish line because i was going to treat myself to a 26.2 necklace. remember too that Oprah ran a marathon. I kept that in my mind also. Ive done 13 marathons so far and too battled IT issues. do the stretches that you ve probably been doing. Cross one leg over the other and reach toward the floor. Hold the stretch. Tell yourself you can always walk , but you will finish this race. you owe it to yourself:) Im doing Myrtle Beach half so Ill be there too. its a great flat course.. and good crowd support. I think this is the one you said you were doing . woo hoo

Erin

You can do it! You have already gained much of your fitness, you just need to maintain it. Long story short, I hurt my foot training for my second marathon. My last long run was 17 miles (a crappy 17 at that) 7 weeks before the race. I took an entire week off, didn’t help. After that my longest “run” was 7.5miles (run 3min/walk 1min) and I only had two 2 hour workouts ( elliptical, spin bike,etc) in the weeks before the race. My plan was to run when I could, walk when I needed, crawl if I must-but cross the finish line! My foot started bothering me at mile 10, but I was able to run 2:40/ walk :40 and maintain a 13 min/mile. I am a slower runner and it was 75 degrees at the finish so I was THRILLED! My time was almost an hour slower than my first marathon but I am just as proud of this finish. You will be fine. One foot on front of the other, just keep moving forward. You got it!

Erin,
WOW! That is a great strategy that you used. If I get into too much pain, I am going to switch to that. I haven’t been hurting until mile 15ish, so maybe I can run/walk it home from there. 🙂 Thank you for the encouragement.

Jen, that is the best news I have heard in forever. I feel much better hearing your story. Yes, I will be in Myrtle Beach. My husband is doing the half there, as well. I can’t wait…just nervous!!! Thank you & good luck to you, too!